Scleral Lens For Correction Of Keratoconus And/Or Presbyopia

Abstract

A scleral lens for correction of keratoconus and/or presbyopia is disclosed herein. The scleral lens includes a lens body for providing vision correction for a patient, the lens body having a central virtual pinhole, and a peripheral portion of the lens body configured to rest against a sclera of an eye such that a cavity is defined between a posterior surface of the lens body and an anterior surface of a cornea of the eye. The lens body is formed from a substantially transparent material and the central virtual pinhole includes a darkened perimeter, and the darkened perimeter of the central virtual pinhole includes a darkened internal wall extending through the lens body.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A scleral lens for correction of keratoconus and/or presbyopia, the scleral lens comprising:
 a lens body for providing vision correction for a patient, the lens body having a central virtual pinhole, and a peripheral portion of the lens body configured to rest against a sclera of an eye such that a cavity is defined between a posterior surface of the lens body and an anterior surface of a cornea of the eye;   wherein the lens body is formed from a substantially transparent material and the central virtual pinhole includes a darkened perimeter; and   the darkened perimeter of the central virtual pinhole includes a darkened internal wall extending through the lens body.   
     
     
         2 . The scleral lens according to  claim 1 , wherein the lens body comprises a rigid external polymer layer and a soft internal polymer layer, the rigid external polymer layer being disposed over the soft internal polymer layer, and a peripheral portion of the soft internal polymer layer configured to be disposed against the sclera of the eye. 
     
     
         3 . The scleral lens according to  claim 1 , wherein the central virtual pinhole is formed by a plug received within a central aperture disposed through the lens body, the plug having a predetermined shape before placement in the lens body and the same predetermined shape after placement in the lens body, and
 wherein the darkened perimeter of the central virtual pinhole is formed by a darkened wall of the plug extending through the lens body.   
     
     
         4 . The scleral lens according to  claim 3 , wherein the plug includes a central transparent portion bounded by the darkened wall of the plug. 
     
     
         5 . The scleral lens according to  claim 3 , wherein the plug further comprises an outwardly protruding flange disposed against an anterior surface of the lens body. 
     
     
         6 . The scleral lens according to  claim 1 , wherein the lens body is formed from a double-stained polymer material, and the darkened perimeter of the central virtual pinhole is formed by a dark portion of the double-stained polymer material. 
     
     
         7 . The scleral lens according to  claim 1 , wherein the lens body is in a form of a transitional lens, the transitional lens comprising a peripheral region surrounding the central virtual pinhole that contains a light-activated chromophore so that the peripheral region becomes darker when activated by light. 
     
     
         8 . The scleral lens according to  claim 1 , wherein the lens body is formed from a single transparent polymer material, and the central virtual pinhole is formed by a circular dark mask placed on either the front or back central surface of the lens body, the circular dark mask being formed by a dark stained area of the polymer material. 
     
     
         9 . The scleral lens according to  claim 1 , wherein the lens body is in a form of a transitional lens, the central virtual pinhole being formed by a central transparent plug received within a central aperture disposed through the lens body, the transitional lens comprising a peripheral region surrounding the central transparent plug, the peripheral region containing a light-activated chromophore so that the peripheral region becomes darker when activated by light, and the central transparent plug being without the light-activated chromophore, but including a darkened wall that forms the darkened perimeter of the central virtual pinhole. 
     
     
         10 . A method of implanting the scleral lens of  claim 1  in an eye, the method comprising the steps of:
 obtaining the scleral lens of  claim 1 ; 
 placing the scleral lens of  claim 1  over the eye of a patient such that the peripheral portion of the lens body is disposed against a sclera of the eye and a cavity is defined between a posterior surface of the lens body and an anterior surface of the cornea of the eye; and 
 filling the cavity between the posterior surface of the lens body and the anterior surface of the cornea of the eye with a fluid; 
 wherein a soft internal polymer layer of the lens body provides an inner refractive correction for the patient, and a rigid external polymer layer of the lens body outside of the central virtual pinhole provides an outer refractive correction for treating presbyopia.